LEGENDS OF THE DINING ROOM at The Gallivant

JAN OSTLE of WILSONS RESTAURANT and SIMON HULSTONE of THE ELEPHANT come to The Gallivant

The Gallivant has confirmed two of most exciting chefs in the UK to each take over the kitchen this autumn as part of their exciting ‘Legends of the Dining Room’ series, firmly establishing the Gallivant as a hub for the finest dining on the South Coast.

The Gallivant are inviting a handful of some of the very best chefs to take part. The invitation process is simple, chefs that are making a real impact on the UK culinary scene that are not based in the capital. Michelin stars are not necessary, passion and an obsession for food and ingredients are.

This autumn sees Jan Ostle, of the much-lauded Wilsons Restaurant in Bristol and Simon Hulstone of The Elephant in Torquay take to the kitchen at the Gallivant on Sunday 14th October and Tuesday 20th November respectively, showcasing the raw talent that secured their restaurants a place in the UK’s Top 100 Restaurants in 2018.

Jan started his career under the guiding eye of Gordon Ramsay at Royal Hospital Road, and then The Square and Tom Kerridge’s The Hand and Flowers before opening in Bristol in 2017. Described by food writer Tim Hayward as ‘irreplaceably wonderful’, Wilsons – which Jan co-owns with his partner Mary Wilson - has been making a name for itself since opening, including being hailed as one of the World’s Most Underrated Restaurants by CNN and enjoying huge critical success with a menu bursting with seasonal local produce that Jan often forages himself, and which Jay Rayner described as ‘big and bold, but also thoughtful.”

Simon Hulstone has been cooking professionally since his school days and is one of the UK’s most decorated chefs. By his early teens he already had several World Junior titles to hisname and until 2011, he was the only British Chef to win gold in the World Skills in France. In 2003, Simon won the Roux Scholarship and he went on to win the Craft Guild of Chefs National Chef of the Year award in 2008. Simon has twice represented the UK in the Bocuse d’Or, the world’s most challenging and prestigious culinary contest. He was captain of the British team in the Culinary Olympics and was also captain of the English Culinary Team at the Culinary World Cup in 2010 and 2012.

Passionate about the local produce and area, Simon is a self-made ambassador for the English Riviera and its fantastic produce. He especially champions the ingredients grown and reared on the restaurant’s dedicated farm in South Devon.

Harry Cragoe, owner of the Gallivant, said “ I am delighted to have Jan and Simon coming down to the Gallivant to take part in this, I am passionate about showcasing the best that this country has to offer and have decided to focus on out of London chefs for the rest of 2018 and into 2019. We know how hard the hospitality business can be outside of the capital and I want to support as many of these food heroes as I can. We have more exciting chefs lined up for 2019 which will be announced in the coming weeks.”

The series, which kicked off with Damian Clisby of Petersham Nurseries , followed by Phil Howard of Elystan Street, cements the Gallivant’s position as a centre of culinary excellence promoting some of the best British chefs, with fabulous local british produce and the very best of English wines.

The Gallivant is a Restaurant with Rooms across the road from the dunes and the beautiful sandy beach beyond. It is just over an hour from Central London and a five minutes drive from the quintessentially English town of Rye, with its cobbled streets, chic boutiques and renowned antiques shops. The Gallivant is a relaxing hideaway from the stresses and strains of modern life where grown-ups come to relax. It has a beautiful bar with the largest selection of English wine at any hotel in the UK, summer house dining room, coastal inspired stylish bedrooms and a beach hut mini spa. The Gallivant has a 3-star rating from The SRA which marks it out as one of the most sustainable restaurants in the UK.